The California Plateau

The California Plateau, in the heart of the Chemin des Dames, is, like Verdun, an iconic site of the First World War. However, it has long been associated with the crushing failure of the Nivelle Offensive in April 1917, the mutinies that followed and the collapse of the summer of 1918, and was consigned to obscurity after the First World War. 
Before 1914, this plateau, situated above the former village of Craonne, was already a popular spot for walks. 
After the war, pine trees were planted on this ‘red zone’, as the land was no longer suitable for cultivation. 
And since 2013, a freely accessible observation tower has allowed visitors to take in the view of the plain from a height of over 25 metres...

And why the name, anyway? Quite simply because, during the Belle Époque, the site was a leisure destination, featuring a tropical plant garden, a zoo, and even a typical Wild West saloon – hence its nickname, reminiscent of the US West Coast!